Agora Deposit: F 13:5
Title:   Hellenistic (?) Amphora Deposit
Supervisor:   Laura Gawlinski
Category:   Pit
Description:   Ovoid pit cut into bedrock or sterile fill just north of preserved floor surfaces in the so-called Strategeion. Length (west-east) 2.6m; widens at 1.25m from the east scarp so that at west pit is 0.75m wide, at east 0.85m wide. May continue slightly into east scarp.
Uncovered directly under smaller pit of marble chip debris (see Lot Γ 383; Basket 4, p. 3985). Although marble chips were found scattered throughout fill of amphorae pit, these pits were distinct: Find Γ 2854, Amphora, was uncovered beneath hard fill that made up the northeast bottom edge of the marble chip pit. Some material belonging to the amphorae pit was removed with Lot Γ 383, including an inscribed amphora fragment (Find Γ 3887).
The fill of the pit formed two layers, the lower filled with inclusions of chopped bedrock. The line of the pit began to appear at higher elevation while digging disturbed upper fills [Lots Lot Γ 384, 385]. It appears likely that this pit cut into at least the lower floor layers to the south.
Only one amphora was found complete, but large fragments were joined together to form four more near-complete examples. Many large pieces, including three intact necks, do not join other fragments from the pit. Therefore, it seems that both whole and fragmentary amphorae were dumped here.
Layer I: 57.59-56.99m.
Layer II: 56.99-56.78m.
Pottery Lots: Γ VII T386 A-D, T387
Chronology:   4th B.C.
Date:   18 June-17 July 2007
Section:   Γ
Grid:   F/17,19-13/4,6
Elevation:   57.59-56.78m.
Masl:   56.78-57.59m.
References:   Report: 2007 Excavations
Image: 2008.15.0103
Image: 2008.15.0105